To reopen a closed tab in Google Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + T (Command + Shift + T on a Mac). Press it again to keep reopening tabs in the order you closed them. You can also right-click the tab bar and choose Reopen closed tab, or pick a page from History › Recently closed.
This guide covers the keyboard shortcut, the tab bar and History menus, reopening tabs on Android, iPhone and iPad, restoring a whole window after Chrome closes, and closing other tabs safely. It applies to the current version of Chrome. Shortcuts come from Google’s Chrome keyboard shortcuts list, checked October 1, 2026.
Reopen a Closed Tab With a Shortcut
- Open Chrome.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows, Linux or ChromeOS) or Command + Shift + T (Mac). Result: the last tab you closed reopens in the same spot, with its back history.
- Press it again to reopen the tab you closed before that. If you closed a whole window, the shortcut brings back the window with all its tabs.
Reopen a Tab From the Tab Bar or History
- Tab bar: right-click an empty spot next to your tabs and choose Reopen closed tab (or Reopen closed window).
- History menu: select the three-dot More menu, point to History, and choose a page or window under Recently closed. This is the easiest way to pick one specific tab instead of the most recent.
- Full history: press Ctrl + H (Mac: Command + Y) to open your History page and search for older pages you closed days ago.
Reopen Tabs on Android, iPhone or iPad
- Open Chrome and tap the three-dot More menu.
- Tap Recent tabs. Result: a Recently closed list appears, along with tabs open on your other signed-in devices. For iPad-specific steps, see how to restore tabs on iPad in Safari and Chrome.
- Tap the page you want to reopen.
The same Recent tabs list works on both phones and tablets. For anything older, tap History in the same menu.
Restore All Tabs After Chrome Closes
If Chrome crashes, it usually offers a Restore button when you reopen it. You can also press Ctrl + Shift + T right away to bring the last window back. To have Chrome reopen your tabs every time, use Google’s startup setting:
- Select the three-dot More menu, then Settings.
- On the left, select On startup.
- Choose Continue where you left off. Result: next time you open Chrome, the pages from your last session reopen.
Google notes that your cookies are kept too, so sites you were signed in to stay signed in.
How to Close All Other Tabs
- Right-click the tab you want to keep.
- Choose Close other tabs. Result: every other tab in that window closes.
Choose Close tabs to the right to close only the tabs after it. If you closed too many, press Ctrl + Shift + T to bring them back. To save a set of tabs before closing them, press Ctrl + Shift + D to bookmark all open tabs in a new folder.
If a Tab Won’t Come Back
- It was an Incognito tab: once you close the Incognito window, Chrome doesn’t keep those tabs or their history.
- History was cleared: clearing browsing history can also empty the Recently closed list.
- You’re in a different profile: each Chrome profile has its own history. Switch profiles from your profile picture.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many closed tabs can I reopen?
You can keep pressing the shortcut to step back through tabs closed in the current session. For older pages, use History.
Does this work in Microsoft Edge?
Yes. Edge uses the same Ctrl + Shift + T shortcut because it’s built on the same Chromium engine.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.